A fifth of people in their 70s at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s

As many as a fifth of people in their 70s may be at a heightened risk of developing Alzheimer’s, according to a study which used advanced brain scans to examine a group of people who have volunteered for scientific observations throughout their entire lives.

Amyloid plaques, lumps of sticky protein that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, were detected in the brains of nearly 20 per cent of the study participants, the attendees of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2017 heard in London.

An illustration of amyloid plaques (credit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US; the image is in the public domain)

Increases risk of disease

Having amyloid plaques in the brain is putting people, who are otherwise healthy, at a greater risk of developing the disease.

Researchers from University College London (UCL) used an advanced brain scan to measure the amount of amyloid plaques that had built up.

They found 38 out of 210 who underwent the scan showed evidence of amyloid plaques.

1946 Birth Cohort

The participants had normal brain functions and were aged around 70 at the time of the study.

A birthday card sent out to volunteers who have been followed since their birth in 1946 as part of MRC’s national survey (credit the MRC unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL)

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